Steinbach to consider other fire department models

The City of Steinbach will consider different models for running the fire department as the city continues to grow.

Fire Chief Kel Toews presented a report to council at a Sept. 10 strategic priorities committee meeting, telling councillors planning will be begin in the next year.

“As the city grows the (number) of calls have increased and that’s a steady growth,” he said.

While this year has seen numbers fall, Toews said that doesn’t reflect the last 20 years which has shown constant growth.

“Our response times are slowly increasing,” he said. “They’re still within the acceptable range. We’ve got to plan ahead so we’re ready when the time comes.”

Toews said they’ll be looking at other models by examining what other departments do across the country.

Under consideration would be continuing to operate as a volunteer department or a composite department which would include some full-time and some volunteer members.

However, he assured council that changes aren’t required immediately.

“This is not something we’re saying we need to do next year or three years or five years,” he said. “It’s something that we have to be ready for and it will be based on growth and call volume and all that.”

Toews also shared other updates with council including the recent hiring of 10 new members bringing their complement to 48. That’s still lower than Toews would like to see, adding he wants between 50 and 60 firefighters and may have to hire again next year.

Toews said that’s becoming more difficult for a number of reasons.

“Another trend we’ve been noting is that more and more employers are reluctant to let their firefighters go during the day,” he said. “As the number of calls rise it’s a bigger and bigger dent into the business owner’s pocketbook.”

Meanwhile work is set to begin on a three-level training tower at their training site, which will allow firefighters to practice high angle rescue and confined space rescue.

Specifications are also being sorted out for a new pumper truck which is scheduled for 2027.

Council approved the spending of nearly $2.2 million for a new ladder truck in May of 2023, which will replace a 1989 model bought used in 2011. At that time the truck was expected to arrive in spring 2025, but Toews told council it’s expected in 2026.

In 2026, Steinbach will host the Manitoba Association of Fire Chiefs Conference at the new Southeast Event Centre.